Atarashī Seikatsu
by Myka
Summary: Mika realizes there's something really wrong with him. Yuumika Week Day 1- Preg!Mika
1. The Morning After

This couldn't be happening. It was a weird dream, or more accurately, a nightmare.

Mika closed his eyes. Counted slowly to ten and opened them again. His belly was slightly round and protruding visibly when just yesterday it'd been flat and firm. He touched it hesitantly, it wasn't too big, maybe 4 or 6 inches out. Was it some weird vampire disease? The virus affecting him in some way? Who would he ask for help? Who would be able to help him?

"Mika? Were you sleeping? I thought you didn't need to—" Mika hastily pulled the bed sheets to hide his front. Hoping they hadn't seen… Yuu stood frozen by the door of the cabin. Shinoa must have unshackled him when he woke up. "You weren't there when I came too," Yuu spoke carefully. Mika shuffled against the headboard, sinking further into the mattress. He'd come to the cabin — a small room-less cabin only he occupied and separate from the village — to rest after the previous night. He hadn't slept, just closed his eyes for a really long time. "I was worried." Yuu stepped inside, leaving the door ajar. "What's wrong, are you hungry?"

Mika shook his head, even if he was hungry. "I'm fine, Yuu-chan, I'm just—"

Something inside his stomach moved. Mike yelped. Surprised. Terrified. He touched his belly and felt something push against his hand.

The fear was heavy and instant. He needed to stop being stupid and hiding this. What if this killed him? What if it made him hurt Yuu? "Yuu-chan…" Mika cried softly, and the fear was clearly there.

Yuu acted quickly. Rushing to Mika's side. Pulling the sheets aside and staring.

Mika couldn't decipher the look in Yuu's' eyes. Disbelief, concern, fear?

"What is that?" Yu asked.

Mika almost wanted to pull the sheets over himself and hide again. He'd actually been feeling strange for the past few days, but had shrugged it all off. He should have told Yuu sooner he hadn't been feeling well.

"I don't know," Mika tried not to move as Yuu reached to touch his belly, but before the dark haired boy's fingers connected, he pulled back. "I'm getting Shinoa and the others, the village doctor should know something. Don't move. I'll be right back!"

Mika stared sadly as Yuu left him alone. His brain wouldn't stop thinking. He shouldn't have told, he should have hid. What was a human doctor going to do for him? He was a vampire now, a new vampire and there was something seriously wrong with him. What if he ran? How long would it take him to return to Sanguinem?

The thing in his belly moved again. Mika felt his hunger increased. It was easy to see the connection. He had been feeling hungrier than usual for the past few days. He could easily stay three days between feeds, but those had been decreasing to two, sometimes one day. Whatever was inside him was making him hungrier. It was using him as food.

The door to the cabin burst open and Yu came in with Shinoa, and Mitsuba behind him. The others must be on scavenging duty, otherwise Mika knew Yuu would have brought them as well.

"How can Mikaela be sick?" Mitsuba exclaimed. "I thought vampires didn't get sick."

"I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong… Mika!" Yuu reached the blond. "The village doctor is on her way, but maybe Shinoa and Mitsuba can help."

Yuu tried to pull the sheets away, but Mika resisted. Why did this happen? Hadn't they had enough? With him becoming a vampire, Yuu turning into a demon, when we're the bad things going to stop happening? Or was it always going to be like this until he died? Was that even possible anymore?

Mika let go of the sheets and Yuu finally pulled them away.

"What the fuck is that?" Mitsuba cut in. Her eyes were round as she stared at Mika's protruded belly.

Mika immediately tried to hide himself again.

"Mikaela-san, what happened," Shinoa was surprisingly calm.

Mika still didn't trust this girl. He didn't trust any of them, but her calmness was somehow reassuring. "I don't know." It was best to be honest. "I haven't been feeling well for the past few days, my stomach… today it was just like this."

"Can I touch it? Shinoa asked." Mika hesitated, but eventually nodded. As a Hiragi maybe this girl knew of other creatures besides the Horsemen. Other monsters besides vampires.

Shinoa's hand pressed firmly against his stomach, Mika expected the thing inside to move, but it remained still and quiet. His belly almost felt normal aside from the fact it was very round. Had Mika imagined it that first time?

Yu sidestepped next to Shinoa as she removed her hand and reached with his left hand, his fingers brushed carefully against Mika's belly, his thumb accidentally pushing under the gap between the buttons and touching skin. The thing moved enough that it could be seen.

Mitsuba screamed. "It's a monster! It has to be. We need to cut it out!" Mitsuba manifested Tenjiryū in a compact size and shoved Shinoa and Yuu aside to get closer to Mika.

For a second Mika thought yes, cut this thing out before— the blade got closer to his stomach and a new fear kicked in. He didn't know why, but suddenly he could see his belly being cut, whatever was inside him would die…

"No!" Mika yelled, covering his belly with both hands protectively. He moved in the blink of an eye to the other side of the room. "Please don't… don't…" Mitsuba, Shinoa, and Yuu stared at him. The blond girl with horror, purple with confusion, and Yuu… Yuu's were helpless. Nobody approached him. The danger faded and Mika's mind cleared. What was he doing? Why had he reacted that way?

"Mika…" Yuu's voice sounded so far away.

The door opened again and an elderly woman stepped inside. "Where's my first vampire patient?"

Mitsuba recalled her demon. Shinoa touched her shoulder. "Mitsuba, please go search for Kimizuki, Yoichi, and Narumi. Tell them we may have an emergency and need them to return with whatever supplies they found." Mitsuba only hesitated a second before running out the door and not looking back.

The doctor slowly made her way to the side of the bed and patted it. "Sit down and let me look at you."

Mika slowly separated himself from the far end of the room and sat down so the doctor could check him. She touched his belly carefully as she made small talk to ease Mika's nervousness.

"How old are you?"

Mika didn't answer right away, and honestly he didn't want to. He didn't want any of it. "Sixteen."

"Are you really sixteen or is that when you became a vampire?"

"…both"

Her touch changed, becoming gentler, not that it wasn't gentle before. "Poor child, you're not even an adult."

Mika felt like he should resent her pity, but it didn't feel like that. He hated to admit it, but her words made him feel better.

The doctor checked his eyes, mouth, palms, and feet. Touched his belly carefully, whatever was inside didn't react to her touch.

"What is it?" Shinoa asked, when the doctor stepped away from Mika.

"This a very different world than before," the doctor muttered and didn't add anything else. Mika felt the mattress sink next to him and he turned his head to see Yuu sitting by his side.

"Is something inside Mikaela-san?" Shinoa added.

"There is," the doctor answered.

Yuu placed his palm atop Mika's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Is it hurting him?" he asked.

"Not really," the doctor mumbled.

The pressure on Mika's hand eased slightly.

"If all goes well it'll be gone in a few months," the doctor added ambiguously.

Yuu glared, "Just say what it is and what can we do about it."

And just before the doctor said it, Mika knew what it was. His eyes widened. That was impossible. Unreal. How in this mess of a world could this happen? Or maybe because this was a mess of a world that this happened.

The doctor carefully placed her palm over Mika's belly. "It's a child."


	2. Father

Silence.

It's interesting how a simple word can change everything.

The doctor stepped away, telling Mika to visit the village clinic later that day as she left.

No one said anything for a long time. What could be said anyways?

Congratulations? Ha.

Is it a boy or a girl? This wasn't that kind of world anymore.

Plus he was a vampire and still sixteen…

This was so fucked up.

The baby — no — the thing inside him moved again, it was crazy to think of it as a baby yet Mika still rubbed his belly absentmindedly. It had been antsy for a while now and with his throat aching Mika new why. Shit.

Yuu shifted a little, catching Mika's attention. There was more space between them than there had been before. Yuu had shifted away from him just slightly. Mika tried not to think too much about that.

"Ahh," Shinoa finally broke the silence. "I know it's important to create new life in this world, but…"

"Shinoa," Yuu cut in before she could finish. "Not now."

"I'm sorry," she said. It was clear she meant it.

Yuu got up from the bed, walked a few steps away. "How did this happened?" He asked with his back turned.

Mika knew how it happened and there was no way he was telling them. No way.

"I've never read about vampires having children, not even females." Shinoa seemed to debate between staying by Mika's side or walking around the room. She stayed put.

"They can't," Mika whispered. "If they can I never saw one."

"Then it's because of what they did to us." Yuu turned around.

Mika bit his lip. When they were kids he could read Yuu like a book. His rare smiles when they forgot they were livestock. His stern look when one of the smaller kids did something wrong and they had to take the role of guardians. His angry look that just screamed how much he hated not being strong enough to protect them.

Yes. Mika could read Yuu like a book when they were kids, but now….

"What they did to us to turn us into seraphs."

"Is Mikaela-san a seraph?" Shinoa asked.

Mika remembered Krul's words as he laid dying on the floor. "I believe I am," he said. "I was in the orphanage. For sure I was part of the experiments. I just don't know if those experiments were the all the same." A fleeting image of broken half-human children begging to be killed appeared in his mind.

"Then we can assumed it's because of the experiments." Shinoa concluded. Mika nodded. Hoping the conversation would end there. "But what triggered it?"

Mika curled his fingers around the sheets without thinking.

"Mikaela-san were you attacked by anything?"

 _Don't ask me this._ "No."

"Did you eat anything other than blood? Maybe someone else's blood besides ours."

 _Please stop asking._ "No."

She fidgeted nervously. "…Did you have sex with anyone?"

"…" _Say you didn't. Lie…_

There was a sound like a gasp or a cry. The sound of surprise.

Mika didn't want to look, but he looked anyways. Yuu was standing closer now. His eyes undecipherable. "Shinoa, could you check if the others are back? I want to speak with Mika."

The lavender haired girl appeared like she wanted to say something out loud, but opted to whisper something in Yuu's ears as she left.

Mika still heard what it was.

"Don't make him feel bad."

Yuu turned to snap back as she closed the door behind her. "I would never—" He sighed and took a deep breath. Mika saw his Adam's apple move as he swallowed hard.

Mika stood up and walked to the small trunk where he kept extra clothes when he wasn't wearing his uniform. The tight fit around his belly was starting to bother him.

"Who was it Mika?"

"Please Yuu-chan."

"Was it someone from the village?"

"Does it matter?"

Mika changed into a black sweatshirt that hid his front and got rid of the belt around his white slacks. The baby kicked, the hunger was instant, but Mika pushed it down again. He needed food, but he wasn't going to ask from Yuu. Certainly not now. Maybe Shinoa had prepared another vial for him.

When he turned around to leave, Yuu was blocking his way.

"Tell me who it was." Mika tried to go around Yuu, but he was blocked again. Yuu grabbed his shoulders and Mika suddenly remembered when they were together at the grocery store. When he was starving. When Yuu told him to become a monster. "Who was it?"

This was different from that time. This was scarier. This could really make Yuu hate him forever. Mika's heart could barely take it. "Why do you need to know?"

"Because I—" Yuu faltered. "Because you are…"

I am what? Mika wanted to ask. An even uglier monster?

The door burst open.

"Hyakuya-san!" One of the villagers rushed inside. "A couple of Horsemen have been spotted near the shore. Your friends are holding them back, but they need help!"

Yuu cursed. "Stay here, Mika."

Mika ran to get his blade. "I'm going to help."

Yuu cursed again, they didn't have time to argue.

They ran together. Keeping up with each other. They heard the battle before they saw it.

Three Horsemen spread out across the shore. Shinoa, Mitsuba, Yoichi, Kimizuki and Narumi were busy trying to eliminate them, but their distance to each other made it difficult to concentrate efforts on a single one. Villagers had already died. If Yuu and Mika could separate and join the efforts, it wouldn't take long to dispose of them.

Yuu ran off towards Kimizuki who was fighting alone. Mika decided that Yoichi and Mitsuba could use his help the most. He held his sword tight, ready to jump in when the scent of blood caught his nostrils. Mika stopped thinking about the battle, his entire being now searching for the source of the blood. Right by the shoreline, one of the villagers was still alive, his chest barely moved up and down, there was a large gash across his entire middle. He was going to die very soon, his blood would wash away in the water.

The baby kicked vividly and before he knew it Mika was kneeling next to the dying man, his mouth wide open, fangs exposed.

"Mika!"

The scream brought him back to the now and Mika barely had time to see a Horsemen on him. There was no chance to run, all Mika could do was cover his belly with both hands and take cover. He felt the Horsemen's sharp leg make contact with his back, but before it impaled him, it was shoved aside by the force of demon blade. Evaporating into ashes.

"Mika!" Yuu was there with him. Touching him, making sure he wasn't hurt. "It only looks like a scratch."

Mika stared at his belly. It was unhurt, the baby inside moving incessantly, begging for food.

Mika stared at the little movements across his skin, felt the eager pushes against his fingers. Twice he had protected it without thinking. This child… his and—

"Yuu-chan," Mika cried as he looked up. "I'm scared."

Yuu's eyes softened, pulling his and Mika's foreheads together. "It'll be ok. I'm here. I don't care who the father is. I don't care."

Mika closed his eyes. Yuu's breath on his skin was so warm. It prickled like a memory, the same as the touch of his skin.

"I'm hungry," Mika whispered.

Yuu smiled and unbuttoned his collar. Mika didn't ask for permission, he knew it was already given.

The baby moved with eagerness. Mika sank his fangs into Yuu's neck. He didn't care if anyone saw.

Finally, the baby stopped fidgeting.


	3. Demon

If it was weird to become a vampire and drink your family's blood. Then Mika had no clue what to call what was happening to him now.

He followed up with the doctor as instructed. Besides him being male, she didn't seem to think anything else was wrong.

"How am I supposed to have it when I'm—" he couldn't even finish the sentence. He needed an extra super adjective for weird.

"I was an actual doctor before the world became this," she said. "I can easily perform a c-section. With your healing ability there shouldn't be any issues." She paused. "There's also the option of termination."

Mika had to think about that. Talk about it with Yuu and his friends that knew. It might be wiser to pretend this never happened. For all he knew what was inside him was not innocent. What if it was something that could cause more harm than good? How could a creature nurtured by blood be clean?

It was a lot of double guessing, but in the end Mika couldn't pretend it didn't happen. He wanted to see it. Meet the little thing he'd felt he had to protect above all else.

That had been a week ago and something else was obvious. The little thing inside him wasn't going to wait months to be born. It was due in weeks if not days.

Yay for being not human.

Had he mentioned how fucked up everything was yet?

The rest of the squad was informed of Mika's predicament, and they reacted how Mika had expected. With quasi looks of concerns that really felt just weirded out by the whole situation. Mika didn't really care what Yuu's friends thought. He only needed their assistance at blood donation because the baby demanded to be fed constantly and it would be impossible for only one person to donate. He only cared what Yuu thought.

Yuu…

He'd stop asking who the father was, but Mika knew it hurt him not to know. He saw it in his half-hearted smiles, but Mika wasn't going to tell him. He didn't want to know what would happen if he did.

The baby moved. Mika touched his growing belly out of habit. It was almost two inches bigger than when he first noticed it. "I just fed this morning, Sei. You can't possibly be hungry again." Mika still couldn't believe he had name it. He'd done so on impulse and because he wanted a name to complain to when he felt discomfort or annoyed. Both which happened with increased frequency.

Sei fidgeted as if replying. Mika sighed. Maybe Yuu was awake already.

One of the negatives of being in his current state, was that he couldn't watch Yuu while he was a demon. Too much of a risk towards himself and Sei.

There was a soft knock on the cabin door. "Yuu-chan?" Mika looked up.

"May I come in, Mika-kun?" Yoichi peeked his head through a small gap.

"…sure," Mika wished he could say it had gotten less awkward being around Yuu's friends, but it really wasn't. Tough all things considered Yoichi was the one that Mika worried about the least.

Yoichi only half stepped inside, like he didn't want to intrude on Mika's space. His hand squeezed the door frame. "Yuu is still being possessed by the demon. He keeps asking for you." A shiver ran up Mika's spine. "We don't know what do to… if we should keep waiting."

Mika didn't bother answering, he grabbed a large coat, put it on, and went to see Yuu.

Shinoa and Kimizuki were whispering to each other when he opened the door. They stood next to the door. Keeping as much distance as they could from the demon. The demon sat shackled on the floor, humming a song under its breath.

"We were just thinking of using Kiseki-Ō to extract the demon," Kimizuki said.

Mika was about to say something when the demons voice rose above theirs.

"Mika! You're here. Did they tell you I was calling for you? Humans are soooo simple."

Mika had no idea how to approach this. Yuu was like clockwork when he became possessed. It was a limited time, true those limited times were slightly getting longer and the prospect of that terrified him, but it had never gone this long.

"Mikaaaa, you're the only one who understands what it's like being surrounded by humans. We're not like them anymore, let's run away together."

What if this was it? What if Yuu didn't come back this time?

As if hearing Mika's thoughts, Sei moved, making Mika place a palm over his hidden belly without thinking.

The demon hushed. "There's something else here," it announced.

The cold feeling inside Mika intensified. "Give me a few minutes alone with him," he said.

"Are you crazy?" Kimizuki snapped.

"Mikaaaaa, why are you wearing that coat? Are you cold? Can vampires even get cold? Doesn't matter. I don't care what you wear. Have I told you how beautiful you are yet?"

Mika closed his eyes for a moment. "Just ten minutes, if I can't get Yuu-chan back by then we'll use Kiseki-Ō."

Kimizuki was about to protest once more when Shinoa touched his arm and claimed his attention. Her eyes aimed towards Mika, they seemed unsure, but willing to trust. Mika was still learning to rely on that look. "Are you sure?" she asked.

These moments were rare between them. Moments when it was like they understood each other, trusted each other, and even agreed to their crazy ideas.

"Please," he said.

They didn't say anymore and quietly left the room. Mika heard the bolt being placed on the door.

"Finally!" The demon hollered. "Come closer Mika."

"No," Mika replied. He kept his distance from the demon. Discreetly making sure the coat hid his stomach. "Just go to sleep or whatever you do. I don't want to see you, I want Yuu."

The demon smiled and started pressing his wrists hard against the shackles until blood started oozing from the pressure.

"Stop hurting Yuu," Mika's fangs nicked the corners of his lip as he bit down on them.

"I don't really need these hands see?" The demon pushed harder, the shackles were strong and enchanted, they would not snap from the wall. If anything, Yuu's body would be the first to give in, but Mika refused to fall for the same trick again. Not again…

The blood became thick. Mika saw bone.

The demon seemed to enjoy the pain. "I can heal deep gashes, even being run through with a blade, but severed limbs… should we test it for real?" Mika quickly closed the distance between them, his hands on the shackles. The demon grinned. "Just like before. I won't run. I just want to have some fun."

Mika's fingers touched close to Yuu's wrist, they were already a quarter severed. He took a deep breath and unlocked the shackles.

He was being so stupid. Not only was he putting himself and Sei in danger, he was putting Yuu's friends in danger, he was putting the entire village in danger.

The demon didn't pounce on Mika like last time. It stared at its bleeding wrists for a moment, watching them heal, then slowly licked the blood as it stood and stretched. Mika pulled his sword from its sheath, the demon was going to run. _Shit_.

The demon disappeared from Mika's side. Sei moved then and Mika saw the demon flinch and stop mid sprint.

"There's that something again. It doesn't belong here."

The demon lunged at Mika.

Mika tried to swing the sword, but he hadn't been training since Sei and it showed. The demon easily took the sword from Mika. "Let's see if you really heal as fast as me."

Mika did the only thing he could think of. He ran.

He couldn't recall the last time he felt such fright. The fear not for himself, but failing to protect someone important to him.

 _Was he always this afraid?_

Mika didn't even make it halfway to the door before he felt the sword torn the skin across his back.

 _Was he always this vulnerable?_

The demon pulled him back and Mika's back hit the floor. His hands went over his belly protectively.

 _Was he always this weak?_

The sword went through his left shoulder. A hand covered his mouth before he could call for help.

 _He had to protect Sei._

The demon crouched over him, its other hand suddenly atop his belly. "What are you hiding?" Sei reacted to the touch. Mika froze.

A strange look flared across the demons face. It started vacant, then its eyes widened as its lips slowly turned into a wide grin accompanied by a laugh that made Mika feel completely alone.

"You're having a child. My little demon child."

Mika wanted to push the demon off of him, but its hand was too close to Sei. "This child is not a demon and it's not yours. It's Yuu-chan's — Yuu's child…"

"You made it with me." The demon twisted the blade running through Mika's shoulder. "You can't deny that, Mika." Mika swallowed back a cry. He had to create some space between himself and the demon before calling for help. Right now it was too close, it was too dangerous. "Yuu would never love you the way I did."

"…Stop talking."

"Will it want to kill you once it's born? Will it want to kill everything?" It rose to its feet while it laughed, its hand finally away from Sei. "I can't wait to see my child."

Mika kicked the demon so hard it flew across the room and crashed against the brick wall. "It's not yours!" Mika flinched as he pulled the sword from his shoulder so he could stand. "It will never be yours." The demon coughed. "You're just temporary. That's why this child will never belong to you! It's Yuu-chan's child. Yuu's and mine…"

Mika had to put the shackles back on the demon before it did something or tried to flee again. He had to—

"I'm the father?"

Mika looked up, clutching the cloth hiding his belly as he looked at Yuu's vivid green eyes.


	4. Sei

"I'm the father?"

"Yuu-chan…" Mika awkwardly stood up, his belly keeping him off balance. He rubbed it, Sei had suddenly become restless and a sliver of pain rode up his back.

The next thing Mika new, Yuu was next to him. His face was flushed, his fingers almost touching the wound on Mika's shoulder. "The demon… Did I hurt you?"

"It's nothing…" Mika shook his head, Sei was really really fidgeting.

Yuu's eyes were on Mika's belly. "If I'm the father…" Yuu murmured. "Then how… did the demon do a spell, how did it—"

Mika couldn't hold it in anymore. "We had sex," he deadpanned.

Yuu looked away. Mika tried not to think the worst. He could tell Yuu was trying not to blurt out the first thing that popped in his mind. "Wasn't I chained?"

Mika took Yuu's wrist. They were healed, but the blood was still warm. "He started hurting himself to force me to remove the chains. He was going to cut off his — your hands. So I released him."

"Mika…"

"I know it was stupid, but I just couldn't stand it hurting itself — hurting you. Not when I could do something."

"How did it…" Yuu's voice became distant.

Mika let go of Yuu's hand. Struggling through the memories. They were so muddled. Like he wanted to pretend it never happened, but at the same time he couldn't forget. His body pinned to the ground, the voice he cherished twistedly asking him if this was what he wanted, touching him, biting him, telling him to run away from everything.

Yuu's voice cut through every thought. "Did I rape you?"

Mika's world spun, he turned to reply. Sei kicked hard, and Mika felt a strong pulse of pain course through his body, turning his words into a sharp cry.

"Mika!"

Mika let Yuu support his weight when another burst of pain made his knees buckle.

"We're going to the doctor." Yuu stated.

Mika nodded, trying not to think. Forgetting how to breathe.

In the end he didn't really care how this child came to be. He still just didn't want Yuu to think that he was a monster.

* * *

There was a very pregnant dark haired woman waiting at the doctor's cabin when Yuu and Mika arrived. Mika let Yuu do all the explaining, right now he just wanted Sei to calm down. He knew what was happening. The little thing inside him had grown rapidly. It'd been there for just weeks and it was already ready to be born.

Sei was going to be born.

Mika was rushed to the backroom and told to lay down on one of the two beds. He tried not to worry of the next few moments, he was just trying not to scream.

The doctor brought a box. Mika could hear the noises of instruments clanking inside. "I have to do a cesarean, do you know what that is?"

"Yes," Mika nodded and rested his head on the pillow, bracing himself.

"Here's the towels," Yuu stood next to Mika, putting the towels where the doctor pointed. Mika grabbed his hand as soon as he was within reach.

Then he felt the edge of the scalpel pierce his belly without warning and the next thing he knew he was alone in the dark.

"Yuu?"

Mika looked around the darkness. He went to rub his belly, but it was no longer there. It was flat again.

"Sei?!" He called out in panic.

"Interesting..." A jaunting voice called from Mika's right. "You're not supposed to be here and yet here you are." Mika saw a shadow with red eyes that quickly vanished from Mika's side. "It's because of the child," the voice came this time from behind.

Mika turned around. Rubbing his flat belly. "My child is a part of me." Part of the Yuu, part of the demon. "You're the demon inside Yuu." Mika's hands went for his sword, but there was nothing there. He had nothing. This place wasn't real after all. "Please stop possessing Yuu."

The demon chuckled. "It doesn't work like that. Yes, I desire more than anything to take over, to give power, because I am a demon. That's what my existence is, but what Yuu becomes is not really me."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" It took a more solid shape. Mika could see twirls of purple in the air. "We've talked for less than five minutes and you can already tell the demon Yuu is becoming is different from me can't you?"

Mika bit his lip. He could tell, but— "Doesn't matter. It's still your fault."

"Is it now? I didn't ask Yuu to use me, he asked me. Demanded it." Mika tried not to think about that. Yuu's reason to become stronger. To gain the power to fight. To gain the power to avenge the mistake Mika had made. To avenge Mika himself.

Yuu had told him — one time after Mika had finished feeding — while Yuu was slowly calming his breath, while Mika's hands were still on Yuu's shoulders and their eyes met for a moment. Yuu had told him that it was Mika he wanted to take revenge for most of all. That it was Mika the first one to haunt his sorrowful nightmares and the last one to leave. It was Mika's name he called when he begged them not to leave. It wasn't Akane. It wasn't Chihiro, Kota, Ako, Fumie, or Taichi. Yes, he'd love them and missed them, but they had never haunted Yuu's dream like Mika had. They had never created the deep sorrow inside Yuu's heart that Mika's loss had created.

Hearing that was when Mika accepted his feelings for Yuu.

"This is likely the only conversation we will ever have," the demon continued. "The only reason you can talk to me now is because there's a part of me inside you."

 _Sei…_

"Isn't there something you'd like to know?"

Mika recalled the demon's words. _Will it want to kill you once it's born? Will it want to kill everything?_ "Is Sei… Is the child inside me a monster?"

The demon's voice became somber. Perhaps it had been wanting a different question. "I don't know. I only know that this is a life that should have never existed in this world. It is an anomaly. A child of seraph, vampire, human, and demon. The world will find a way to correct it."

Mika felt a hint of fear through his entire being. "Correct it? What does that mean?"

The demon grinned. "Guess we'll find out when your connection with the child is broken."

* * *

Mika woke screaming. Yuu was next to him, holding his hand tightly. It took him only a second to realize that the doctor was still working and that the entire room smelled of blood.

"Don't look that way, look at me." Yuu placed his hand on Mika's forehead. "We've gone through worse."

Mika tried not to think. He could feel everything. His body split open and he could feel every poke and prod of his insides. The seconds felt endless, but Yuu never let go of his hand. Never panicked. Fingers steady on Mika's forehead eyes never wavering, taking his attention, taking the pain away.

A high pitched wail echoed across the room and the moment ended.

"A boy," the doctor announced. Yuu moved away enough to see the little creature in the doctor's arms. His fingers started uncurling from Mika's but Mika tightened his grip.

"Don't let go," Mika whispered.

The wailing continued as the doctor cleaned the baby's face before carefully giving him to Mika. Mika was able to hold him with one hand, and the second the small creature was nuzzled against his chest, the wailing stopped.

"Sei," Mika exhaled. Sei had a thick mess of black hair and at the sound of his name his little eyes open to reveal a cerulean blue Mika almost could no longer remember.

Yuu was quiet. Mika looked up to see him staring at the baby. The baby stared back. "Unreal…" Yuu muttered. "He's really ours. Holy shit we are parents."

Mika had to smile. His index finger gently rubbing Sei's cheek.

Guess we'll find out when your connection with the child is broken.

Sei yawned and cooed. Mika held Yuu's hand even tighter. All those moments he had decided to protect this baby — their child — over his own safety suddenly made sense, and the demon's warnings something too terrifying to think about. "I'm afraid he might disappear," Mika muttered, voicing the fear out loud.

"What? That's nonsense." Yuu rubbed his index finger gently against Sei's forehead to which the baby wiggled towards.

"I spoke with your demon, or the part of it that's in Sei — At least I think I did — I don't know. It said Sei didn't belong in this world."

"Asuramaru?" Yuu questioned. "I wouldn't listen too much to him. Asuramaru tends to be vague. To be honest we haven't talked much after I started—" Yuu paused and his eyes seems to focus on something that wasn't there. "Don't ever show the demon me our baby."

"Yuu…"

"He's mine. Ours. It just used me to make him. If you can forgive me…"

"I never blamed you."

Yuu smiled and kiss Sei's head. "You hear that Sei? Your parents are going to take care of you and when this world is better you'll have lots of brothers and sisters."

Mika wanted to feel happiness at Yuu's words, but…

"I need to give him a bath," the doctor approached them.

Mika bit his lip. "If something happens to us. Please find him a good home."

"Nothing is going to happen." Yuu interjected.

Sei made a noise like half a cry. Like he could understand his parent's words. "Even if nothing happens. We can't keep him, Yuu-chan." Mika cried. "It's too dangerous. People are after us. We are not even human. What if we can't ever be human again?"

"We'll figure it out." Yuu replied stubbornly. "I don't know how, but—" Sei protested louder. Yuu poked his nose. "No fuzzing. You're a Hyakuya. We're a family. As long as we are together we'll be ok."

Mika wanted to be believed that, he wanted to believe that so much, but he had lived in this broken world way too long.

"The water will get cold," the doctor reached to take Sei.

 _Not yet._

Mika pulled Sei closer to him and kissed his forehead.

"I'll bring him right back."

 _Not yet._

"Yuu-chan." Mika's voice was a surrender.

Yuu squeezed his hand and tilted his head. "Hm?"

"I love you."

Yuu blushed.

The doctor took Sei from Mika's grasp. "That's a good baby." She headed to the back of the room and gently laid Sei in the basin. "Let's clean you up." Sei fuzzed against the water, making soft, short cries.

"Excuse me," Yuu pipped. His hand was no longer around Mika's. "Looks like Mika's healed now. Sorry for the mess, but can we go?"

Yuu helped Mika sit up on the table. Mika stared at the blood and utter destruction of his clothes with resignation.

Sei started wailing louder and the doctor pulled him out of the basin. Yuu got closer, staring at the little crying thing. "Whose baby is that?"

Behind him, Mika rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Can't believe you were able to fix your clothes. How many washes did it take to completely remove the blood?"

Mika glared at Yuu. "That's what happens when Yuu-chan fails to kill a Horsemen that ends up trying to eat me. I should have made you clean and fix them."

"Don't put this on me," Yuu whined. "That Horsemen should have been a piece of cake for you."

Mika felt a small pang at his center. He rubbed his flat belly absentmindedly, there was still a scar where the Horsemen had pierced him, but soon too that would be gone.

"Hey," Yuu touched his arm. "You ok? Hungry?"

Mika shook his head. "I'm fine. I'll wait until Shinoa brings me another bottle. Can't drink you forever."

"I don't mind you know," Yuu scratched the back of his head nervously.

Mika bit his lip. "It'll be fine. We have to go."

They left the cabin, walking side by side in silence until they reached another, more shabby, cabin at the edge of town. Yuu walked in first and sat by the far wall between a set of chains. Mika knelled next to him and carefully closed them around his wrists. "I'll be outside ok?"

"You used to stay before," Yuu murmured. "I mean, I'm sure you left in between, but you'd be always there when I fell asleep and you'd usually be the first thing I saw when I woke up. I miss that."

"It's…" Mika hesitated. "It's hard when I can't help you. Plus the demon doesn't really like me."

Yuu frowned. The chains clanged when he moved. "I'd like it if you stayed though."

Mika sighed and sat facing Yuu. "Only this once. I really don't want to see the demon."

Yuu opened his mouth, but closed it again looking deflected. "It's still me you know," he lowered his head until his bangs covered his eyes. "In a weird way, it's still me isn't it?"

Mika squeezed his hands together, seeing Yuu sad was one of the things he hated most, but he just couldn't tell Yuu the things the demon said to him. "It's not you," he blurted. "It's…"

"Do you hate me, Mika?"

"No!" Mika hated this converstion. There was no point to it. He still didn't know how to stop Yuu from becoming a demon and it made him feel powerless. "I could never hate you."

"You don't hate me you say…" Yuu's voice was chagrin, his hands reached for Mika, the chains giving anough leeway for Yuu to touch Mika's hand. "You love me then?"

Mika looked up and was met with deep red eyes. He bolted away, feeling the shiver run up his back. "Damn you," he muttered and started leaving.

"He's not with you anymore…" The demon called out. "Where did he go? What did you do with him?" Mika was almost at the door, just a few more seconds. "He was mine too you know! What did you do with him?!"

The door locking behind him was simple relief as far as Mika was concerned.

* * *

Mika met with Shinoa who gave him a new vial of blood. Then he decided to patrol while he waited for Yuu to turn back.

His favorite part of town was up a hill, where he could watch most of the village in peace. Or at least usually in peace. Today there was someone there.

He remembered seeing the dark haired woman before. She was sitting on a peach blanket, a large basket beside her and two small children in front of her. One in a green onesie, one in a yellow one.

"Hello," she said warmly.

Mika immediately felt like he was intruding. "I'm sorry," he apologized then started the trek back.

"You don't have to leave," she called. Mika stopped. "You're one of the people protecting the village aren't you?"

Mika wasn't sure if to reply or just leave without saying a word. "Yes."

The baby in the yellow onesie started crying. "Should I get someone?" Mika offered.

"It's fine. I'm alone." She grabbed the baby and started feeding it. "Their father died. Never got to meet her — them," she corrected herself. "I'm sorry. The doctor always said I was just having a girl so I got into the habit of saying just her. I was so surprise when she told me I had twins."

"That's…" Mika wasn't sure what to say. Sad? Nice? She was alone with two children to feed. Mika thought how hard that must be, but she still seemed happy.

The baby boy kept wiggling as if he was trying to go somewhere. "Do you want to hold him? He gets fuzzy when hungry, but he needs to learn to wait his turn."

Mika didn't know why, but he knelt in front of the blanket close to the fuzzy baby. "I… aren't you frightened of me?"

"Not at all," she smiled wider. "Perhaps others may think I'm a fool, but I think I can trust you."

Mika started to rise. Holding children and having a conversation like he belonged where things not meant for him. The male baby started to cry. An intense desperate wail. Its mother tried to sooth him while trying to hold the girl who was still feeding. "Sei, just a little longer."

"Sei?" Mika kneeled back down. His knees burrowing into the grass, his entire focus on the small crying child.

Mika reached for the tiny human, his index finger first brushing the baby's palm and five little fingers instantly wrapped around his'. He held the baby's head carefully as he lifted it up, snuggling him safely in his arms.

Sei slowly stopped crying, his wails turning into hiccups and sniffles. The last baby he'd held had been Taichi, and he was so small himself that Mika couldn't help but think how small this baby was in his arms now. How careful he had to be.

Mika pulled the baby closer to him. Sei opened his eyes as another hiccup hit him. "Blue…," Mika couldn't hold the words in. He couldn't even remember seeing someone with blue eyes around here. He could barely remember his own.

Sei blinked like he was noticing Mika for the first time and for a long second his eyes stayed open, just watching. Mika thought he would start wailing again after recognizing the person holding him wasn't his mother, but the little frown on his lips turned upside, a giggle escapes his lips and he nuzzled closer to Mika while his little hands squeezed Mika's clothes and his mouth tried to suckle.

Mika felt the prickle of the little hands against his skin, the little bundle in his arms suddenly felt heavy, like the world was there, and he didn't understand why.

"Are you all right?" The woman asked.

Mika raised his head, his arms pressing Sei closer to his heart. "Yes."

Her eyes drifted towards the nuzzling baby. "You're crying," she stated.

Mika ran a finger against his cheeks and caught the liquid. When was the last time he cried? After finding Yuu, after giving up his humanity. That was the last time he'd felt alive and not simply existing. Everything had gotten so cold since then. He couldn't even remember the warmth of being human. Why would he cry by just holding a human child? Why would he care?

"I need to feed him," The woman's eyes lost some of their warmth and she put her daughter on the blanket and stretched her arms so Mika would give her Sei back.

Mika hesitated for a second and it was enough to frighten him. Sei fuzzed when Mika started to separate them, his little hands trying to hold on to Mika's coat. His wails reaching a fevered pitch even after being returned to his mother's arms.

"Please leave," she said and Mika was more familiar with this. The distrust of humans.

In the end he didn't belong here. Not anymore.

Mika started the trail down back to the village, and as Sei's desperate cries echoed all around…

It took everything Mika had not to turn back.

* * *

"Ouch…" Yuu flexed his wrist as he and Mika passed through the village on their way to meet Shinoa and the others.

"We can't stay here for much longer," Mika said, stepping ahead. "We're overstaying our welcome."

"I thought we were protecting them?" Yuu followed behind.

"Whose gonna protect them when the demon army or the vampires find us here?" Mika increased his pace. Some of the villagers called out to them. Mika ignored them all.

Yuu sighed. "I guess you're right."

Mika suddenly stopped and Yuu crashed into his back. "Now my face hurts too," he winced. Mika was unfazed. Staring straight ahead. Yuu peaked around him to see a woman struggling to carry a large basket with crying children inside.

"They really need us to protect them," Yuu commented.

"They don't," Mika interjected. "They survived long without us, they can do it again," he turned and headed the opposite direction.

Yuu stood silently watching for a second, first the woman, then Mika's retreating back.

He waited until they were further outside the village and clear of people to catch up to Mika.

"Did something happened with that woman? Did she say something to you?"

Mika ignored Yuu's words, so Yuu grabbed his arm, pulled him back and grabbed his face from both sides. Mika tried to get away, but Yuu had a good hold on him, plus it wasn't like he disliked the touch. Just like back then when he…. "It's nothing," he said. Yuu pouted and leaned closer. Mika tried not to think too much. Why was he still even thinking about what happened on the hill? Why did he still feel the missing warmth? Why could he almost still feel the little hand grabbing tight? "Just for a while," he admitted. "I thought I could belong."

Why couldn't he get the crying out of his head?

"You belong," Yuu rubbed his knuckles against Mika's cheeks. "At the very least you belong with me."

Mika flushed, his gaze falling to the floor. "Thank you, Yuu-chan."

Yuu grinned. Mika knew it was time to move on. Their time in this place was over. He didn't need more and yet…

"Have you ever felt like you need to meet someone again, even if you didn't understand why?"

Yuu tilted his head. "Is this a trick question?"

"No…" Mika hesitated.

Yuu frowned a little as if unsure, but his face quickly relaxed and he grabbed both of Mika's hands, intertwining them with his own. "Of course I have. You." Mika's heart skipped a beat. Yuu never let go of his hands. "We're going to be human again, Mika. I promise you. We'll fix this world and finally go live somewhere where no one can find us. Take all the orphaned children we can find and raise them together. Make a new family. Don't forget that."

Mika blinked. Why did the child he'd held just for a minute appeared in his mind? Why couldn't he just forget him?

Yuu brushed the back of Mika's hand with his fingers. Brought him back to reality. The reality that that child, Sei, wasn't something that belonged to him, that being human again, and a new family were nothing but dreams…

Yuu sighed. Not impatience, but a soft sound that allowed Mika to relax, feel safe, feel Yuu squeezing his hands before leaning forward and placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

It didn't mattered what it meant.

Mika needed no more. No less.

And who knew, maybe one day he could become human again. Maybe he could come back here and thank the people that welcomed him if it was even just for a short while.

And maybe, just maybe, he could see those blue eyes again and hold that little hand with his.


End file.
